The Indian passenger vehicle market recorded strong sales in August 2026, with 4,41,576 units sold. With such sales figures, the industry saw 34.7 per cent year-on-year growth. As for sales, most of the top car brands in India remained the same as last month, with Nissan retaining its spot after making a surprising entry into the top 10 on the previous sales chart. Moreover, Kia outsold Toyota after a long gap. Read on to find out the top-selling car brands in India in August 2026 and what made Maruti Suzuki reign supreme.
Why is Maruti Suzuki the Best-Selling Car Brand in August 2026?
Maruti Suzuki has led the industry since the dawn of the Indian car market and remains one of India’s best car brands, given Indian driving conditions. In terms of sales, the Indian-Japanese carmaker is far ahead of other OEMs and holds the largest industry share, as reflected in August 2026. Maruti Suzuki is the most favoured brand because it offers what most buyers want: affordability, high fuel efficiency, reliability, and low maintenance costs. A key contributor to Maruti cars’ sales is the popularity of its CNG cars. A huge chunk of Maruti car sales comes from their CNG cars.
Maruti also adapts well to the market requirements. The carmaker has recently shifted its focus to improving the safety standards of its cars. The Maruti Victoris, Maruti e Vitara, and Maruti Dzire have bagged a full 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP safety test. At the same time, the iconic Maruti Baleno scored an impressive 4-star rating in the Bharat NCAP safety test. Maruti Suzuki has also begun offering six airbags as standard on many of its cars, including the Alto K10, Wagon R, and Brezza. Meanwhile, recent GST reforms have significantly reduced Maruti car prices, bringing them closer to buyers’ budgets.
| Top Selling Car Brands in India | ||||
| Manufacturer | August Sales- 2026 | August Sales- 2025 | Y-O-Y Growth | Market Share |
| Maruti Suzuki | 1,76,971 | 1,31,278 | 34.8% | 40.1% |
| Tata Motors | 65,253 | 41,001 | 59.1% | 14.8% |
| Mahindra | 59,257 | 39,399 | 50.4% | 13.4% |
| Hyundai | 54,396 | 44,001 | 23.6% | 12.3% |
| Kia | 29,042 | 19,608 | 48.1% | 6.6% |
| Toyota | 28,410 | 29,302 | -3% | 6.4% |
| JSW MG Motor | 7,508 | 6,578 | 14.1% | 1.7% |
| Skoda | 5,650 | 4,971 | 13.7% | 1.3% |
| Honda | 5,385 | 3,850 | 39.9% | 1.2% |
| Nissan | 3,426 | 1,384 | 147.5% | 0.8% |
Maruti Suzuki: 1,76,971 units
With sales of 1,76,971 units in August 2026, Maruti Suzuki continued to lead the top-selling car brands chart, registering 34.8 per cent year-on-year growth. The Indo-Japanese carmaker offered attractive discounts on its cars in July 2026, boosting sales.
Top 3 sellers of Maruti Suzuki
- Maruti Suzuki Wagon R: 20,180 units
- Maruti Suzuki Swift: 19,832 units
- Maruti Suzuki Fronx: 18,730 units
Tata Motors: 65,253 units
Selling 65,253 units in August 2026, Tata remained the second-best-selling car brand and recorded 59.1 per cent year-on-year growth. For passenger safety, attractive designs, and ride comfort, Tata Motors is one of India’s best car brands. In recent years, the Indian carmaker has also diversified its portfolio, adding CNG variants of its best-selling cars and launching a significant number of electric cars.
Top 3 sellers of Tata Motors
- Tata Punch: 21,320 units
- Tata Nexon: 18,431 units
- Tata Tiago: 8,537 units
Mahindra: 59,257 units
In August 2026, Mahindra sold 59,257 units, up 13.4 per cent year on year. Mahindra is among India’s top car brands, with all its models selling in impressive numbers. Fuelling the dream run of Mahindra is the tremendous demand for SUVs, and with a long lineup of SUVs, Mahindra is making the most of this opportune time.
Top 3 sellers of Mahindra
- Mahindra Scorpio: 15,576 units
- Mahindra Thar: 10,464 units
- Mahindra XUV 3XO: 8,541 units
Hyundai: 54,396 units
While Hyundai has seen better days in the Indian market, it is still one of the best car brands in India in terms of sales. In August 2026, Hyundai sold 54,396 units, up 12.3 per cent year on year. These days, Hyundai is relying heavily on the Creta’s strong performance, while its other cars are selling in lower numbers than before.
Top 3 sellers of Hyundai
- Hyundai Creta: 16,288 units
- Hyundai Venue: 11,365 units
- Hyundai Exter: 8,157 units
Kia: 29,042 units
Kia sold 29,042 units in August 2026, up 48.1 per cent from the 19,608 units it sold in the same month last year. With such sales, Kia beat Toyota after a long time, and the Kia Seltos retained the spot as the best-selling Kia car
Top 3 sellers of Kia
- Kia Seltos: 11,716 units
- Kia Sonet: 9,048 units
- Kia Carens: 6,093 units
Toyota Kirloskar: 28,410 units
Toyota sold 28,410 units in August 2026, down 3 per cent from the 29,302 units it sold in August 2025. Toyota is one of the top car brands in India and in international markets. In India, Toyota cars are known for high durability, high dependability, and low maintenance costs.
Top 3 sellers of Toyota
- Toyota Innova: 8,963 units
- Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 8,234 units
- Toyota Fortuner: 3,504 units
JSW MG Motor: 7,508 units
JSW-MG sold 7,508 units in August 2026, seeing a 14.1 per cent growth in its year-on-year sales. MG Motor is one of India’s best car brands for the premium quality of its cars. That said, MG Motor is the only car brand in India with an electric car as its best-selling model.
MG has recently launched the MG Hector Tomahawk EV and MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV.
Top 3 sellers of MG Motor
- MG Windsor EV: 3,705 units
- MG Hector: 1,177 units
- MG Comet: 989 units
Skoda: 5,650 units
With sales of 5,650 units in August 2026, Skoda saw a 13.7 per cent year-on-year growth and beat Honda. Currently, the Skoda Kylaq is doing the heavy lifting for the brand, while its other models are not selling well.
Top 3 sellers of Skoda
- Skoda Kylaq: 3,590 units
- Skoda Kushaq: 1,048 units
- Skoda Kushaq: 897 units
Honda: 5,385 units
With only three cars in its portfolio, Honda is consistently pulling enough sales to bag a spot among the top-selling car brands. Last month, the Japanese carmaker sold 5,385 units, a 39.9 per cent year-on-year increase.
Top 3 sellers of Honda
- Honda Amaze: 3,512 units
- Honda Elevate: 1,326 units
- Honda City: 514 units
Nissan: 4,518 units
The popular Japanese carmaker, Nissan, continued to hold the tenth spot, selling 3,426 units in August 2026, a whopping 147.5 per cent increase over the same month last year.
Top 3 sellers of Nissan
- Nissan Magnite: 1,495 units
- Nissan Gravite: 1,440 units
- Nissan Tekton: 491 units
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Top selling cars in India | Top selling SUVs in India | Top selling compact SUVs in India
